They have World Series aspirations, but also have continuing health issues in the starting rotation and less than 10 days before the trade deadline. It could present the team with quite a predicament: Do they force themselves into a trade they may not need or do they stand pat and potentially watch the rotation crumble as the season drags on.

“We’ve talked about our depth all year and I think this is where that depth is huge,” GM Jon Daniels said Sunday. “I think it helps us minimized the need to panic. And we are going to keep that depth in mind. We will continue to monitor situations and have conversations, but I don’t think we have 100 percent of the picture either.”

The Rangers first must figure the significance of injuries to RHP Roy Oswalt, whose historically cranky back stiffened up on him Friday, and RHP Colby Lewis, whose forearm tendinitis has not been healed by rest and an anti-inflammatory injection. The club scratched Oswalt from his scheduled start on Monday and is likely to due the same with Lewis on Tuesday after he visits team orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister.

The general feeling is that Oswalt may need to just miss Monday’s start and could be back by the end of the week. There are no projections on Lewis.

In the meantime, the Rangers will turn to RHP Scott Feldman on Monday and will likely go with LHP Martin Perez on Tuesday, particularly if Lewis requires a trip to the DL. Perez had his outing on Friday for Triple-A Round Rock shortened to two innings so he could be prepared to return to the majors. RHP Justin Grimm would also be an option.

For the longer haul, RHP Neftali Feliz could become an option to replace an injured pitcher, but, he has struggled with command in his first two rehab outings from an elbow sprain. Feliz lasted only 1 2/3 innings on Friday when he had been scheduled to pitch three or four. The Rangers believe he’d need at least two or three more rehab outings, which means he probably won’t be an option before July 30 or 31.

“He’s healthy,” Daniels said. “But he just hasn’t been very good. I think we’d like to see him have a little more success.”

The final option is the most risky: The trade market.

While the Rangers have checked on almost every available pitcher, they have been most connected with Philadelphia on LHPs Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. The Rangers have had conversations with Philadelphia and the Phillies have had a special assignment scout at the Rangers-Angels series, but he’s presumably looked at the Angels as much as the Rangers. The Angels have also been connected with Hamels talks.

Both pitchers are intriguing to the Rangers, but either would come with his own special set of risks. Hamels is a free agent after the year and under the new collective bargaining agreement, the Rangers would not be eligible for draft pick compensation if he signed elsewhere after the season. Lee would be under the club’s control through 2015, but he is a month from turning 34 and has approximately $88 million due to him over the final three years of the contract. Even if Philadelphia was willing to eat some of the contract, it would leave the Rangers, who have already busted their budget, paying him more than $20 million a year for the next three seasons.

There are other “front-line” pitchers available such as Milwaukee’s Zack Greinke (and the Brewers have had a scout at the Rangers-Angels series) as well as Chicago’s Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza.

But there is one other intriguing possibility: Lumped among the scouts watching the Rangers and Angels was a Miami Marlins officials. If the Marlins are sellers, RHP Josh Johnson could hold be a significant attraction for the Rangers. The Rangers have long coveted Johnson, 28, but he underwent elbow surgery last year and has been inconsistent for much of this season. Johnson is signed for 2013 at $13 million. He could be an option to give the Rangers more depth this season and be an affordable top-of-the-rotation starter next year.

In addition, the Marlins have some other potential options in RHP Ricky Nolasco (signed through 2013) and RHP Annibal Sanchez (free after this season).

The next 10 days promise to be that much more intriguing for the Rangers as they try to sort out whether to stay pat or make a play.